Now three years old, The Velocity Fund was created to support Philadelphia artists directly in creation of new projects that are experimental and collaborative. No fiscal agent or other intermediary is required. If you’re thinking about launching a project, this is a great opportunity to apply to turn your idea into a funded project. The Velocity Fund is an artist- and community-oriented funder with an easy, no-nonsense application. Each year, the VF staff make themselves available during the application process via live and online information sessions. This year is no exception, with ten information sessions during March, April and May (dates, times and registration information listed below).
[Note: Due to Covid-19 concerns, the Velocity Fund information session at Fleisher Art Memorial scheduled for Monday, March 17, 2020, has been cancelled. Please check the Velocity Fund News&Events Page for other cancellations in the coming days and weeks. The web page will be updated with any further changes. ]
Generous awards of up to $5,000 are given for chosen projects annually (14 projects received grants in 2018, 14 in 2019, from applicant pools of more than 100 each year).
To nurture projects and grow them deeper into communities, Velocity Fund awardees are now eligible to apply for funding from the program’s “Added Velocity” fund, which provides a boost of $15,000 to deepen the project’s community engagement.
Here what two Velocity Fund and Added Velocity awardees say about the importance to their work of receiving the grants:
“As a small collective group seeking to create a platform that truly prioritizes youth perspectives and leadership, there aren’t many funding opportunities for the open and emergent ways we approach collective art making, mental health, and action. Now in its second year, Creative Resilient Youth exists largely thanks to Velocity Fund and the sustaining grant we received from Added Velocity. We recognize how unique of an opportunity Velocity provides and are grateful for the doors it continues to open for us and others in the visual arts community across Philadelphia.”
– Andrea Ngan, 2018 Velocity Fund Grantee/ 2019 Added Velocity Grantee
“The support that I received from Velocity and Added Velocity has been a catalyst that has allowed me to push the boundaries of my artistic and social practice. It has created opportunities for me to experiment with new forms and scales in building the Black Womxn Temporal Portal, as well as the opportunity to engage a community of Black and POC womxn in the realization and unveiling of the work.” Rasheedah Phillips, 2018 Velocity Fund Grantee/2019 Added Velocity Grantee
Applications open today, March 9, 2020 through June 7, 2020, for 2020 Velocity Fund Grants
Ten live Information Sessions are available to you, FREE. At the sessions, Velocity Fund staff will explain the program and answer questions. Register to attend one of these free information sessions at velocityfund.org/news-events/ (or by clicking the links below.)
[Note: Due to Covid-19 concerns, the Velocity Fund information session at Fleisher Art Memorial scheduled for Monday, March 17, 2020, has been cancelled. Please check the Velocity Fund News&Events Page for other cancellations in the coming days and weeks. The web page will be updated with any further changes. ]
CANCELLED Tuesday, March 17 at Fleisher Art Memorial at 6 p.m.
MOVED ON-LINE Friday, March 27 at Taller Puertorriqueño at 6:30 p.m.
MOVED ON-LINE Saturday, March 28 at Lovett Memorial Library at noon
MOVED ON-LINE Tuesday April 7: [formerly at the The Center for Emerging Visual Artists] at noon*
*Joint Information Session with CFEVA
MOVED ON-LINE Monday, April 13 at The Print Center at 3 p.m.
MOVED ON-LINE Thursday, April 23 at University City Arts League at 6:30 p.m.
POSTPONED Thursday, May 7 at Vox Populi at 6 p.m.
POSTPONED Tuesday, May 12 at Philadelphia Folklore Project at 3 p.m.
MOVED ON-LINE Tuesday, May 12 at Philadelphia Photo Arts Center at 5:30 p.m.*
*Joint Information Session with The Leeway Foundation
Online only! Google Hangout sessions will also be available to answer application questions:
Thursday, May 21, 1–3 p.m.
Friday, June 5, 9–11 a.m.
In addition, The Velocity Fund will be presenting at The Venture Cafe in uCity Science Center on Thursday, April 16, 4:30–5:15 p.m. #ThursdayGatheringPHL.
More about the Velocity Fund Grant Projects
Projects should be experimental in nature and explore collaborative processes between artistic genres, leading to expanded audiences, fresh outcomes and an enriched multi-disciplinary discourse.
The Velocity Fund was established in 2018 by Temple Contemporary at Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University, with support from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Over the past two granting cycles [2018 and 2019] The Velocity Fund has supported twenty-eight dynamic projects around the city—with a diverse range of outcomes and impact; everywhere from wearable art to audio interventions, film screenings to speculative time portals, community zines to youth-led projects. In 2020, it is again inviting artists and artist groups based in Philadelphia to take advantage of this opportunity.
